Case Studies

Solar Means Business: Top Commercial Solar

Customers in the U.S., what do Walmart, Costco, IKEA, Kohl’s, Johnson & Johnson, and FedEx have in common? They know a smart investmentwhen they see one, and they are all adopting solar energy in a big way. From the largest corporations to small businesses, U.S. companies are installing solar energy to take control of their energy costs and improve their bottom line. As of mid-2012, businesses, nonprofit organizations, and governments agencies across the U.S. have deployed more than 2,300 megawatts (MW) of solar electric (photovoltaic or PV) systems on more than 24,000 individual facilities. SEIA and Vote Solar’s Solar Means Business report highlights those companies that have deployed the most solar energy at their facilities for on-site consumption. And more is coming; these companies continue to install hundreds of solar projects nationwide.

Washington, D.C. (June 19, 2012) – As Texas braces for predicted tighter electricity reserves and higher electricity rates in the state this summer, a new report shows that adding solar capacity to the Texas electricity grid would result in lower wholesale electricity prices for Texas customers.

Solar America Board for Codes and Standards

Net energy metering (NEM) is a state-level policy that permits a utility customer to generate electricity on site to offset the customer’s load and deliver any excess electricity to the utility for an equal amount of electricity from the utility at other times. Forty-three states, the District of Columbia, and Puerto Rico have instituted NEM in some form to permit self-generation, typically at the urging of customers seeking to use solar, wind, and other renewable energy facilities. These NEM policies vary from state to state, particularly regarding how large an individual installation can be and how much NEM will be allowed in the aggregate. Restrictions on NEM are almost always driven by utility concerns that lower utility bills for NEM customers will lead to higher utility bills for customers who do not have NEM.